Trifter

The first thing to do when you get a speeding ticket in Texas is not to panic. There is a wide array of options available to you to keep that citation off of your driving record. The most common method is by enrolling in an eight-hour “Defensive Driving” course. Texas state law allows a driver to take this course to dismiss most types of traffic tickets if he or she has not previously taken a similar course within the past 12 months. A few infractions, such as excessive speeding, speeding in a school zone, and driving under the influence (DUI), are not allowed to be wiped away by a defensive driving course. If you are unsure, check with your city or county to determine if you are eligible to take the course. Defensive driving courses cover such topics as traffic laws, signage, right-of-way issues, collision avoidance techniques, safety features, and the consequences of driving under the influence.

Costs

These courses generally cost anywhere from $30-$55, though various jurisdictions will impose small additional fees. You also will be required to pay a certificate fee of about $10 to have your course completion documentation sent to you. This will provide proof to the court that you have completed defensive driving in the allotted time frame (which is usually a few months after the infraction). Ironically, even though you are taking defensive driving to prevent your insurance company from finding out about your traffic ticket, you can usually send a copy of your defensive driving to your insurance company – and they will give you a small discount (about 5%-10%) off of your insurance premiums for taking the initiative to improve your driving!

Another great thing about defensive driving is that you have two methods of completing the course: in a standard classroom or online.

Classroom

If you opt for the classroom choice, many service providers offer complimentary meals or comedic entertainment with the class. You can also take the course in two four-hour segments (usually on weeknights) or in one eight-hour session (usually on Saturdays). The class itself feels a bit like college: you’re usually allowed to bring in refreshments, attire is casual, and as long as you don’t talk, sleep, leave the classroom, disturb others, surf the web, or use your cellphone, the instructors really don’t much care what you do. There are usually at least three breaks (including a lunch or dinner break in an all-day session) during an eight hour course.

Online

If you choose the online option, you can pay for it using a credit or debit card. You have the ability to break up the course into as many segments as you want over an extended number of days. But the total time spent at your computer will be about eight hours (excluding breaks). However, the online course comes with timed segments designed to keep you at the computer for certain amounts of time, so you can’t just walk away and do something else. To accomplish this, the course provider will randomly flash questions on the screen asking for information you provided during registration (such as your driver’s license number, birth date, license plate number, etc.) If you do not answer these questions within a short amount of time (about 10 to 30 seconds), you will be booted out of the course temporarily and forced to contact the course provider before you are let back in. If this occurs several times (three to five, depending on the course), you will be unable to receive your certificate of completion and your money will not be refunded.

Testing

Whether you go with the classroom or the online option, after the coursework is completed you will have to pass a 20-question exam in order to obtain your certificate of completion (in most cases, that means getting a minimum score of 70%, which means at least 14 correct answers). The exam questions are usually taken straight from the course materials and easily answered by people who have paid even the slightest amount of attention. Online tests are scored instantly, while classroom instructors grade your exams by hand and give you your score before you leave the class. If you fail the exam, you will be given another opportunity to repeat the course within a certain time frame, though you may have to pay the registration fee again.

Conclusion

In short, the actual defensive driving course may be a bit of a hassle to arrange and even somewhat boring to get through. But it will definitely save you money in the long run, because traffic tickets stay on your record for about three years, and your insurance rates will remain higher during that time. So completing the course and getting the dismissal is certainly worth the time, money, and effort. And who knows – you might even learn a little something along the way!